Department of Physical Therapy Essential Functions for Physical Therapy Practice
Introduction
All students in the physical therapy department must be able to perform the essential clinical as well as
academic requirements, as the overall curricular objectives are to prepare students to practice in their
chosen field. These standards are applicable in the classroom, laboratories, simulated clinical settings
and while on clinical education assignments. The purpose of this document is to assure that all students
entering the physical therapy program know and understand the requirements, and can make informed
decisions regarding their pursuit of this profession. Students must be able to meet these standards with
or without reasonable accommodations.
Basic Requirements
Physical therapists must have the capacity to observe and communicate; demonstrate sufficient gross
and fine motor ability to perform physical diagnostic examinations and interventions; physical strength,
dexterity, agility, and endurance; emotional stability to exercise good judgment and to work effectively
in potentially stressful situations; and intellectual ability to synthesize data and solve problems.
Procedures for Implementation of Essential Functions for Physical Therapy Practice
1. All applicants will be referred to the Department of Physical Therapy Essential Functions upon
application to the program.
2. Accepted students (and parents/guardians if student is <18 years of age) will review the
Department of Physical Therapy Essential Functions and sign the Affidavit entitled, Essential
Functions for Physical Therapy Practice before the beginning of the first semester in the physical
therapy program. Students with documented disability may meet with personnel from
Academic Support Services to sign the Affidavit.
3. The document will be reviewed with students throughout the program in related courses (i.e.,
Professional Development and Preclinical Conference I-IV).
Student Accessibility Services www.ithaca.edu/sas/
The Ithaca College student handbook details services available to students with disabilities
(http://www.ithaca.edu/attorney/policies/vol7/Volume_7-70103.htm#70103). Services and
accommodations for students with disabilities are coordinated by Student Accessibility Services.
The Manager and specialists of Student Accessibility Services are available during College business hours
to assist students in accessing reasonable accommodations and in determining which accommodations
are appropriate. The nature and extent of a student's disability must be documented by a physician or
health care professional. The presence of a specific learning disability must be documented by a
psychologist or learning disabilities specialist. Students with psychological/emotional disabilities can
obtain documentation from either a psychiatrist or a licensed psychologist. Students seeking
accommodations are required to meet with personnel in the Student Accessibility Services each
semester to discuss accommodations for the current semester. If a student has not identified to the
office by providing documentation on his/her disability and consented to the limited sharing of
information regarding the disability, she/he will not be eligible to receive accommodations. Students,
parents, faculty and staff members are encouraged to call at any time to discuss issues related to access
or in supporting students with disabilities
To allow auxiliary aids and services to be obtained or appropriate academic adjustments to be made by
the start of the academic term, the student or prospective student who believes that he/she will need
an academic adjustment/auxiliary aids and services must complete and return the Disability
Identification Form with documentation of their disability Student Accessibility Services as soon as
possible. Timely submission of materials is encouraged.
Accommodations identified after the start of the semester will be honored, but grades achieved prior to
that time will remain unchanged. Ithaca College is unable to make accommodations that impose an
undue burden, present a threat to the health or safety of the individual or others, or fundamentally alters
the nature of the curriculum including didactic component, laboratory, patient simulations, and clinical
education coursework.
Students must follow the procedural guidelines as written in the most recent edition of the Ithaca
College Student Handbook (http://www.ithaca.edu/attorney/policies/vol7/Volume_770103.htm#70103) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (http://www.ada.gov/).
Essential Functions for Physical Therapy Practice
Each accepted student must complete the affidavit entitled, Essential Functions for Physical Therapy
Practice, that attests to their ability to fulfill the Department of Physical Therapy Essential Functions as
outlined in the list below.
Standards, Functions and Examples
Competency
Standard
Essential Function
Emotional
Students must
possess the
emotional ability to
adapt to the
environment, cope
with stressors, and
assume daily
responsibilities.
Student will:
 possess emotional
health required to
make sound
judgments
 demonstrate
behaviors
appropriate to the
situation
 use appropriate
coping strategies
 demonstrate active
learning
 respond to stressful
situations effectively
by recalling
knowledge from
short term and long
term memory
Communication
Students must
possess the ability to
understand and
utilize verbal, nonverbal, and written
Student will:
 explain treatment
procedures
 initiate health
teaching
Practice Example
Student will:
 explain/articulate the
patho-physiology of disease
in a classroom, laboratory
or clinical situation, in
medical and layman’s terms
 manage more than one
patient at one time
 demonstrate flexibility in
managing, organizing and
administering care to
patients in clinical settings
 create functional
interventions outdoors, in
small homes, on
playgrounds, and in hospital
rooms
 implement stress
management activities
when necessary
Student will:
 document medical
information according to
physical therapy practice
standards
communication,
including oral and
written English
clearly, effectively,
and efficiently.
Cognitive/
Critical Thinking
Student must meet
academic standards
and possess critical
thinking abilities
sufficient for making
sound judgments.
Sensory-Motor
Students must
possess adequate
strength, dexterity,
balance, and
sensation, to

document and
 give oral presentations to a
interpret
variety of professionals
patient/client
 provide training and
information
teaching to patient/client,
 utilize effective note
family members and other
taking skills
professionals
 complete written
 provide information to
and reading
health care teams for
assignments in a
optimal patient/client
timely fashion
management
 assess and respond
to verbal and nonverbal
communication
Student will:
Student will:
 utilize their full
 obtain examination data
intellectual abilities
and develop a plan of care
with an
given a patient/client
understanding of the
diagnosis (ie/ stroke)
rationale and
 develop and progress an
justification within
exercise program for a
clinical and
patient/client with cerebral
laboratory settings.
palsy
 recall, interpret,
 adapt and change an
analyze and apply
intervention within a
information from a
session, depending on
variety of sources,
patient response
including reading
 establish a list of differential
material, lecture,
(alternative) diagnoses
discussion, patient
given a patient problem
observation,
 conduct a self-assessment
examination and
and create a professional
evaluation
development plan based
 determine what
upon areas that need
data and methods
attention
are needed to solve
problems
 demonstrate
appropriate
responses to
emergency
situations
Student will demonstrate:
Student will:
 a variety of patient
 assist a dependent patient
examinations,
with a joint replacement
interventions
with transfer (bed to chair)
including (but not
 provide cardio-pulmonary
accurately carry out
physical activities
through an 8-10 hour
work day
limited to):
palpation,
auscultation, joint
mobilizations,
patient transfers,
ambulation training
 safely guard patients
with limited mobility
or unsafe balance
responses
 observational skills
to obtain accurate
information in
classroom,
laboratory, and
clinical settings
 provide safe,
reliable, efficient
emergency care
Social-behavioral Student must possess Student will:
interpersonal abilities
 develop mature,
sufficient for
sensitive and
appropriate,
effective rapport
respectful and
with peers, faculty,
effective interaction
health care
with individuals and
providers
caregivers of various
 function effectively
backgrounds.
in environments
with high physical
and mental
demands
 display flexibility
and adaptive skills
in a variety of
conditions
 demonstrate
professionalism,
compassion,
integrity, empathy,
interest and
motivation
 interact with groups
from various social,
cultural, and
religious
backgrounds
Adopted 4/16/10; revised 5/21/10, 7/17/15





resuscitation (CPR)
safely guard a child with
autism on a balance beam
prevent a patient/client
with a head injury from
falling while negotiating
stairs
read numbers on a
goniometer
use electrotherapeutic
modalities
assess color changes of the
skin
Student will:
 participate in small and
large group discussions
 deal with sensitive,
confidential information
respectfully and within the
ethical standards of the
profession
 meet externally established
deadlines
 provide emotional support
to patients/clients during
critical periods
 use “people-first” language
when speaking about
patients/clients with
disabilities
 initiate communications to
clarify situations
Affidavit
(To be signed and returned to:
Department of Physical Therapy
Ithaca College
953 Danby Road
Ithaca, NY 14850)
Department of Physical Therapy Essential Functions for Physical Therapy Practice
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Emotional
Communication
Cognitive/Critical Thinking
Sensory-motor
Social-behavioral
The undersigned student declares that s/he is able to meet the Ithaca College Physical Therapy
Program Essential Functions without accommodations.
Students with a disability seeking accommodations should contact Ithaca College Student Accessibility
Services to identify themselves in a timely manner as an individual with a disability when seeking an
accommodation. Documentation from an appropriate professional source that verifies the nature of the
disability, functional limitations, and the need for specific accommodations is required. All students
must meet the college’s and departmental essential technical, academic and institutional standards.
Students with documented disabilities will not be precluded from participating in the program. All
students will need to be able to perform all functions, with or without reasonable accommodation.
__________________________
Signature of Accepted Student
____________________________
Printed name of Accepted Student
_______
Date
__________________________
Signature of Witness
(must be 18+ years old)
____________________________
Printed name of Witness
_______
Date
__________________________
Signature of parent/legal guardian
if under 18 (different than witness)
_____________________________
________
Printed name of parent/legal guardian Date
if under 18